Adrian Peterson still has concerns about the Minnesota Vikings even after meeting with team representatives Wednesday.
Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer and GM Rick Spielman flew to Houston to meet privately with Peterson, likely to persuade the All-Pro running back to return to the team. Peterson’s status as a face of the franchise and relationship with the team was marred amid the controversy last season over his child abuse case. As a result, Peterson has expressed interest in playing for another team, so the Vikings officials must have attempted to show how much Peterson is wanted.
The meeting, which was the first time the sides met since Peterson was placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List in September, appears to have been well received by Peterson.
“I appreciate Rick [Spielman] and Coach [Mike] Zimmer coming down to see me today,” Peterson said in a statement via ESPN’s Josina Anderson. “We had a great dialogue and they were able to understand where I was coming from and concerns my family and I still have. We respect each other and hopefully the situation can pan out so that everyone involved is content.”
Peterson reportedly has a list of five preferred trade destinations and is willing to restructure his contract if need be. He could consider trying to force the Vikings to trade him by being uncooperative, but it’s unlikely another team would be able to pay him the kind of money Minnesota is contracted to.
At the very least, based on this photo it seems like some fences were mended:
Huggin' it out: Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer and GM Rick Spielman in Houston trying to heal things with AP. pic.twitter.com/f8p58czF5W
— KARE 11 (@kare11) March 4, 2015
